Liverpool, CNS runners qualify for state meet

Both of the Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse cross country teams will send talented runners to Saturday’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class AA championship meet at SUNY-Plattsburgh.

Those spots were earned during last Saturday’s Section III meet, held at Jamesville Beach Park, where Fayetteville-Manlius took both Class AA team titles.

In the boys AA meet, F-M won the title over Liverpool, with 36 points to the Warriors’ 76. But Liverpool did hold off West Genesee (79 points) and Baldwinsville (81 points) for that runner-up spot.

As it turned out, three Liverpool runners, all seniors, dueled for two state meet berths, offered to top-five finishers outside F-M.

Alex Wilke and Anthony Brais won the battle for those spots, as Wilke took seventh place in 16 minutes, 47.1 seconds and Brais finished eighth, in 16:54.4. Chris Clemons was right behind them, ninth in 16:58.2, just 3.8 seconds away from advancing.

Colin Savage, far off his top form, had to settle for a 29th-place time of 18:00.1, just behind teammate Mychal Ostuni (17:48.6) in 27th place. Freshman Drew Henry was 32nd in 18:05 flat, with Anthony Ostuni 37th (18:15.6) and Brandon Rudd 38th in 18:18.8.

CNS, who was fifth in the boys AA team battle with 100 points, saw Chris Buchanan earn a trip to the state meet, the junior taking fourth place among individuals in 16:29.4. He joins Wilke, Brais, Shaun Thompson (B’ville) and Steve Houghmaster (West Genesee) on the All-Star roster.

Dan Fritz took 20th place for the Northstars in 17:40.6, while Eric Hart took 23rd place in 17:43.3. Jared Walther was 28th (17:53.1) and Ken Ryan 30th in 18:00.5, with Steve Rathbun (18:11.0) and Anthony Lupia (18:11.8) 34th and 35th, respectively.

Later that day, in the girls Class AA championship meet, CNS did manage to finish in second place, with 69 points, behind only the F-M juggernaut that produced the six fastest times of the day, including Courtney Chapman, who won in 18:30.2. Liverpool was fourth, with 101 points, as West Genesee (82 points) sneaked in between them to take third.

Two CNS freshman stars, Nicole Watterud and Marissa Colburn, both earned spots in the state meet. They posted the second and third-fastest individual times behind the Hornets, as Watterud finished ninth in 19:38.4 and Colburn was 11th in 20:08.2.

Just behind them, Liverpool senior Lesley Bowers comfortably claimed the final invitation to the state meet, nearly half a minute ahead of B’ville’s Annie Peterson as she finished 13th overall in 20:27.2. Bowers, Watterud, Colburn and two West Genesee runners, eighth-grader Laura Leff and freshman Anna Leo, compose the Section III All-Star squad.

As for the rest of the Northstars’ runners, Christina Sakowski worked her way to 18th place, in 21:10.8. Just behind her, Jamie Leone took 20th place, in 21:25.8, while Mackenzie Cummings earned 21st place in 21:29.0. Rachel Strong was 34th in 22:26.5.

Liverpool’s support for Bowers included Chelsea Attaway, who finished 19th in a clocking of 21:18.4. Close to each other, Rachel Putman earned 26th place (21:59.1), with Melissa Riehl claiming 27th (22:00.2) and Trina Bills finishing 29th in 22:04.8.